Club seeks help as Andrew Bailey out until late ’14

In need of relief

Michael Silverman, Red Sox NotebookFriday, July 26, 2013

Credit: Matt Stone

ALL WASHED OUT: It was all for naught last night at Fenway Park, as the Rays-Red Sox game was postponed due to rain, leaving Sox right fielder Shane Victorino with nothing to do except pack up and head back home.

Closer Andrew Bailey could be ready to help the Red Sox sometime in the second half of next season after he underwent shoulder surgery on Wednesday.

Yesterday, Red Sox manager John Farrell said “it wouldn’t be probably out of the realm of up to 12 months” for Bailey’s recovery to be completed.

It sounded as if surgeons did not find anything significantly unexpected during the successful procedure, which was performed by Dr. David Altchek in New York.

“There was repair done both to the labrum as well as the capsule,” said Farrell. “If there were any needs as far as the rotator cuff, that was minimal.”

Bailey was hurt during a game two weeks ago in Oakland. His injury, combined with the recent season-ending injury to left-handed reliever Andrew Miller, has forced the Red Sox to explore the trade market for relief pitchers, in addition to starting pitchers. The Red Sox already have made one trade, acquiring left-hander Matt Thornton, and they may yet make another. Names in the mix include White Sox right-hander Jesse Crain and Cubs right-hander Kevin Gregg.

The Red Sox remain in the thick of the trade market for premier starters. They were one of many teams with a scout on hand in Chicago for Jake Peavy, who outpitched Justin Verlander and the Tigers for a 7-4 win yesterday. Peavy allowed four runs on four hits in seven innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts. His ERA on the season is now 4.28.

In an interview on WEEI, team president and CEO Larry Lucchino mentioned that the club has some substantial interest in international free agent Miguel Gonzalez of Cuba. He said the Red Sox are taking a “pretty hard” look at the 26-year-old Gonzalez.

“There are a lot of clubs in baseball that have scouted him, to be sure,” said Lucchino. “He’s been on display in Baja California and now is available, after the appropriate approvals and licenses and whatever, so that the auctioning can begin.”

“The main drawback (of trading for a pitcher) for us would be giving up the prospects,” said Lucchino. “That’s the hard thing. Reaching into your pocket for your wallet is much easier. We have some really talented young players in our minor league system, and Ben Cherington guards them like his first-born child. He really does want to grow this team internally. That is the most proven path to long-term success, but we all share that point of view.”

“There are certain prospects that qualify to be trade bait, and other prospects that are so strong, so important to your future that you develop them to be cornerstones of your team in future years.”

All about matchups

Before last night’s game was officially postponed due to rain, the Red Sox had Jonny Gomes in left field and batting seventh instead of usual left fielder Daniel Nava. With right-hander Jeremy Hellickson slated to start for the Rays, some might have expected the switch-hitting Nava in the lineup, but he is 1-for-10 in his career against Hellickson. The right-handed Gomes is 3-for-7. . . .

Catcher David Ross was with the team, however, a return to baseball action is not imminent. The plan is for him to be in the clubhouse all afternoon and the dugout for the first three innings for now.

“The tolerance we’ll monitor daily and how we can progress forward,” said Farrell. “This is one of the most respected guys in our clubhouse. He’s full of life and energy and I think for some of the younger guys there might be a little bit of a calming influence just based on what he’s experienced.”